WKZQ-FM
Encyclopedia
WAVF is a commercial radio station
located in Hanahan, South Carolina
, broadcasting to the Charleston
area on 101.7 FM
. WAVF airs an adult hits
music format branded as "Chuck FM." The WAVF call sign had been on the 96.1 FM frequency in Charleston since 1985.
WAVF signed on March 11, 1985 on 96.1 FM as "96 Wave" with sound effects of ocean waves over a period of a week. When the stunt was over, the station debuted with an Album Rock format. Over time, 96 Wave shifted its format to Alternative
.
Atom Taler worked at 96 Wave nine years. For the last three of those years he was joined by Jim Voigt, known as "The Critic". Their popular morning show, which was beginning to decline, was replaced February 23, 1998 by Howard Stern
. Ratings fell still further, but program director Rob Cressman pointed out ratings increased from a year earlier. He also said the station would improve with a format that relied less on alternative. After a year and a half, Stern had the market's no. 1 morning show. WAVF also brought back The Critic for afternoons.
Tin Man Broadcasting sold 96 Wave to Apex Broadcasting late in 2001.
On February 22, 2002, 96 Wave dropped Stern. Many advertisers did not like the show, so they would buy time on 96 Wave but not on Stern's show, or they avoided WAVF altogether. Stern's show also cost the station a lot, so airing his show just became too expensive. Dick Dale from WMMS
in Cleveland replaced Stern. WMMS created the show to compete with Stern and began syndicating it to Clear Channel stations. But Dale, who knew The Critic, had left WMMS, so this show would be local. WAVF General manager Dean Pearce described Dale's show as "intelligent", while program director Greg Patrick described it as "fast-paced", pointing out that the show would include music. Dale described his show as radio's answer to The Daily Show
.
On August 31, 2007 at 5pm, 96 Wave became known as 96.1 Chuck FM, after stunting for over 20 minutes playing the "Charles in Charge
" theme song. The first song played on the new 96.1 FM was "Take This Job and Shove It
" by Johnny Paycheck
. The final song played on WAVF was "My Wave
" by Soundgarden
.
101.7 was originally established as a "beautiful music" automated station, operating out of the back room of its big sister AM rocker, WTGR, in Myrtle Beach. By the late 1970s the station had switched to a rock
format slowly shifting to newer alternative rock
in the 1990s. With this Alternative format, WKZQ-FM
was an immensely popular radio station, finding fans across the nation; Rolling Stone
even named it one of the "Top 5 Radio Stations" in America.
In September 2008 WKZQ-FM abandoned its historic frequency of 101.7 MHz and migrated to 96.1 MHz in a frequency swap with WAVF.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
located in Hanahan, South Carolina
Hanahan, South Carolina
Hanahan is a city in Berkeley County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 12,937 at the 2000 census. Portions of the Naval Weapons Station Charleston, including the Naval Consolidated Brig Charleston, are located in Hanahan. As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and...
, broadcasting to the Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
area on 101.7 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. WAVF airs an adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
music format branded as "Chuck FM." The WAVF call sign had been on the 96.1 FM frequency in Charleston since 1985.
WAVF history
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
.
Atom Taler worked at 96 Wave nine years. For the last three of those years he was joined by Jim Voigt, known as "The Critic". Their popular morning show, which was beginning to decline, was replaced February 23, 1998 by Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
. Ratings fell still further, but program director Rob Cressman pointed out ratings increased from a year earlier. He also said the station would improve with a format that relied less on alternative. After a year and a half, Stern had the market's no. 1 morning show. WAVF also brought back The Critic for afternoons.
Tin Man Broadcasting sold 96 Wave to Apex Broadcasting late in 2001.
On February 22, 2002, 96 Wave dropped Stern. Many advertisers did not like the show, so they would buy time on 96 Wave but not on Stern's show, or they avoided WAVF altogether. Stern's show also cost the station a lot, so airing his show just became too expensive. Dick Dale from WMMS
WMMS
WMMS — branded 100.7 WMMS: The Buzzard — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, widely recognized as one of the most influential rock stations in America throughout much of the history of FM broadcasting...
in Cleveland replaced Stern. WMMS created the show to compete with Stern and began syndicating it to Clear Channel stations. But Dale, who knew The Critic, had left WMMS, so this show would be local. WAVF General manager Dean Pearce described Dale's show as "intelligent", while program director Greg Patrick described it as "fast-paced", pointing out that the show would include music. Dale described his show as radio's answer to The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
.
On August 31, 2007 at 5pm, 96 Wave became known as 96.1 Chuck FM, after stunting for over 20 minutes playing the "Charles in Charge
Charles in Charge
Charles in Charge is an American sitcom series which starred Scott Baio as Charles, a 19-year-old student at the fictional Copeland College in New Jersey, who worked as a live-in babysitter in exchange for room and board...
" theme song. The first song played on the new 96.1 FM was "Take This Job and Shove It
Take This Job and Shove It
"Take This Job and Shove It" is a song by David Allan Coe from his 1978 album, Family Album about the bitterness of a man who worked long and hard with no apparent reward. The song was famously covered by Johnny Paycheck...
" by Johnny Paycheck
Johnny Paycheck
Johnny Paycheck was the legal name of Donald Eugene Lytle , a country music singer and Grand Ole Opry member most famous for recording the David Allan Coe song "Take This Job and Shove It"...
. The final song played on WAVF was "My Wave
My Wave
"My Wave" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Featuring lyrics written by frontman Chris Cornell and music co-written by Cornell and guitarist Kim Thayil, "My Wave" was released in 1994 as the fourth single from the band's fourth studio album, Superunknown...
" by Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
.
101.7 history
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
format slowly shifting to newer alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
in the 1990s. With this Alternative format, WKZQ-FM
WKZQ-FM
WAVF is a commercial radio station located in Hanahan, South Carolina, broadcasting to the Charleston area on 101.7 FM. WAVF airs an adult hits music format branded as "Chuck FM." The WAVF call sign had been on the 96.1 FM frequency in Charleston since 1985.-WAVF history:WAVF signed on March 11,...
was an immensely popular radio station, finding fans across the nation; Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
even named it one of the "Top 5 Radio Stations" in America.
In September 2008 WKZQ-FM abandoned its historic frequency of 101.7 MHz and migrated to 96.1 MHz in a frequency swap with WAVF.